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Crimson Robes
The Crimson Robes were a Loyalist Successor Chapter of the stoic Imperial Fists, raised at the beginning of the 32nd Millennium during the 3rd Founding. Highly regarded for their siege capabilities and the arbiters of a number of impressive victories, this promising young Chapter was seemingly wiped out just over a millennia after its inception, but later returned nearly three millennia later. However the Chapter's bad luck continued to dog them, as they had the misfortune to cross paths with a massive Ork WAAAGH!, and were annihilated. Chapter History Founding The Crimson Robes were created during the 3rd Founding, drawn from the gene-stock of the Imperial Fists. The War of the Beast Disappearance The Chapter was dispatched to reinforce the Cadian Gate when the infamous Chaos Lord Abbadon the Despoiler launched his 3rd Black Crusade. Chapter Master Ecclesium gathered all available Astartes and set off with 800 Battle Brothers. This force never arrived and was eventually declared lost to the Warp. This event was named 'The Loss' by the remainder of the Chapter. The Pale Wasting The remaining 200 Astartes began the difficult task of rebuilding a Chapter that had lost so much, not just in terms of manpower but also material. They had managed to regrow their numbers somewhat by the late 34th Millennium but at this time they were involved in the Pale Wasting, an obscure conflict fought between the Imperium of Man and a mysterious threat arising from the Ghoul Stars in the Segmentum Ultima. The Chapter was apparently destroyed entirely during this conflict. With the loss of their new Fortress-Monastery and all gene-stock the Chapter was not refounded. Return In the waning years of M37 the lost fleet of the Crimson Robes emerged back into realspace in orbit of Chekhov VI, a planet in the Aeaean Cluster of Ultima Segmentum. The Chapter Master was horrified to realise that over three millennia had passed. Several vessels were also missing, possibly still lost somewhere in the Warp or destroyed by its foul energies. Destruction The bad luck of the Crimson Robes had not ended however. They had reemerged into the path of an Ork Waaagh, which mercilessly assaulted the disorganised Chapter fleet. Chapter Master Ecclesium put up a ferocious defence, cutting down scores of Ork vessels before realising that his warriors could not win in space and ordered all remaining Astartes to land on the planet below to fight on the ground. Some 500 Astartes made landfall and began entrenching onto a ridge line. The Orks were not far behind, blackening the skies with their craft. The Orks died in their thousands as they hurled themselves against the hastily prepared defences, bloodlust driving them to attack before their armour and titans landed. Their numbers began to tell however and the Crimson Robes were steadily driven back, until only a small handful remained in a desperate last stand. These survivors clung on, driven by the knowledge that a Battlefleet was on route, pushing hard to reach them in time. Alas the Ork Warboss launched a final charge with his retinue, cutting into the heart of the remnants and duelling the Chapter Master himself. Ecclesium drove his sword into the Ork's heart as his dying act of defiance, taking this mighty foe with him as the last of his brothers fell around him. Legacy Disorganised by the death of their leader and reeling from a ferocious assault into their flank by the arriving Battlefleet, the Ork WAAAGH! was shattered and the Greenskins routed with horrendous losses. Such a colossal victory came too late for the Crimson Robes however, annihilated to a man in the churned mud of Chekhov VI. They would be remembered though, entering legend amongst the inhabitants of the Aeaean Cluster. Statues of Chapter Master Ecclesium were raised on a dozen worlds in gratitude for his sacrifice. The salvageable equipment from the Chapter would be repaired and later given to the Nemean Lions after their founding in M38, gifting the Chapter with a few priceless relics from the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras. Notable Campaigns *'War of the Beast' *'Pale Wasting' Chapter Homeworld The name and location of the original homeworld of the Crimson Robes is unknown, lost to the passage of time. It was destroyed soon after the original founding of the Chapter. For the remainder of their existence the Chapter was fleet based. Fortress-Monastery The Battle Barge Coeptis Sapientiae served as the Fortress-Monastery of the Crimson Robes after the destruction of their homeworld. The vessel was heavily modified to accommodate this new role. After the presumed loss of the Coeptis Sapientiae the Battle Barge ***** was chosen as the new Fortress-Monastery of the Crimson Robes. Chapter Organisation The Crimson Robes were strict adherents of the Codex Astartes, following its doctrine to the letter. Their Chapter was divided into maximum allotted 10 companies comprised of 100 Astartes each. Each company was led by a hero of the Chapter with the rank of Captain, who, in addition to his company command, was in charge of a particular aspect of the Chapter's logistics. Order of Battle Headquarters Companies Chapter Beliefs The Crimson Robes followed the traditions of the Imperial Fists in many regards, especially in the veneration of Rogal Dorn. While they held the common people of the Imperium in high regard they nonetheless considered themselves and their aims as of greater importance and would not think twice about sacrificing thousands of civilians or guardsmen if it furthered their aims. Chapter Gene-Seed As a Successor Chapter of the Imperial Fists, the Crimson Robes shared their genetic legacy with their genetic forebears. Due to this direct link with their forebears, they inherited many of the characteristics of their common Primarch Rogal Dorn. The Chapter's gene-seed was highly stable, though like the Imperial Fists' it was lacking the Betcher's Gland that allows a Space Marine to spit corrosive acid, and the Sus-an Membrane that allows him to enter a life-sustaining state of deep hibernation. Deathwatch Service Several members of the Chapter were part of the original creation of the Deathwatch after the War of the Beast. When the Chapter was crippled by The Loss these Astartes became Blackshields in their grief. With the Chapter crippled they were unable to provide further Astartes before their total destruction. Chapter Combat Doctrine Like the Imperial Fists they descended from, the Crimson Robes were masters of siegecraft, excelling in defensive fortifications. Notable Members *'Tiberius Ecclesium' - Chapter Master of the Crimson Robes at the time of their destruction. Chapter Fleet As befitting a fleet based Chapter, the Crimson Robes had a large fleet with 4 Battle Barges and an extensive collection of Strike Cruisers and Escorts. *''Coeptis Sapientiae'' (Unknown Class) - Flagship of the Crimson Robes' fleet. This vessel also served as the Fortress-Monastery of the Chapter and was was extensively modified to serve this purpose. It was destroyed during the fall of the Chapter. Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours The Crimson Robes primarily wore a bisected colour pattern on their power armour, consisting of red on the backpack, plastron (chest guard), both coutres (elbow guards) and vambraces (forearm armour). Meanwhile, the vents of the backpack, upper legs and greaves (lower leg armour) were black in colour. Parts of the armour were also coloured beige including, the top of the helmet, both shoulder armorial insets, gauntlets and poleyns (knee guards). The faceplate on the helm was coloured white. As the Chapter was Codex-compliant, they utilised red squad specialty markings stenciled on the right armorial inset, which indicated a battle-brother's assigned squad specialty (Battleline, Close Support, Fire Support, Veteran or Command). A small, white coloured gothic numeral was stenciled directly on the squad specialty symbol, indicating their assigned squad. A larger red coloured roman numeral was stenciled upon the left poleyn, which indicated their assigned company. Per their namesake, the Astartes of this Chapter often wore red robes and tabards. The majority of the Crimson Robes Astartes were equipped with Mk III Power Armour at the time of their destruction, a result of the liberation of the Forge World Chivenor and its stockpile of pre-Heresy wargear. They also possessed a few suits of relic Mk II armour which they revered as relics of the early Great Crusade. Chapter Badge The Crimson Robes Chapter badge consisted of a stylised red coloured clenched gauntlet which was reminiscent of their genetic forebear's Chapter icon. The use of this similar iconography symbolised the Crimson Robes' genetic legacy as inheritors of their Primarch Rogal Dorn. Relations Allies Enemies *'Orks' - Even before the final destruction of the Chapter, the Crimson Robes had suffered at the hands of the greenskins during the War of the Beast Notable Quotes By the Crimson Robes About the Crimson Robes Gallery Category:Fleet-Based Chapters Category:Imperial Fists Successors Category:Imperium Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:3rd Founding